Mount Ephraim

Faversham Life explores the history of a house and a family

Words Amicia de Moubray Photographs Various

 

Just a couple of miles from Faversham is the gloriously named Mount Ephraim, home to the Dawes family for over 300 years. Today the house and garden exude the plutocratic taste of the end of the 19^th century and beginning of the 20^th century.

The majestic sweeping staircase in the grandiose hall (a brilliant backdrop for bridal photographs) is more akin to a Vanderbilt mansion on Rhode Island than East Kent. Extensive areas of the garden brim with Edwardian confidence from a fine rockery to a Japanese style garden to beautifully clipped topiary to magnificent terraces punctuated by a pair of majestic gates. It makes for a wonderful excursion or a backdrop to a wedding.

How did all this come about, one wonders? The answer is a story redolent of many of the titans of the Victorian era.

Originally from Westmoreland, members of the Dawes moved south at the end of the 17^th century. Major William Dawes built a house in Hernhill. A Lt Governor of Walmer Castle, colonialists and vicars were the chosen professions of the Dawes family until Edwyn Dawes (later Sir Edwyn ) 1838-1903.

Edwyn had a remarkable life. He was born in Dilborne,  Staffordshire where his father was the Vicar.  He went to sea at the age of 16. He was stationed in the Crimea throughout the war there, and this was followed by stints in India and China working for the British Steam Navigation Company under Sir William MacKinnon, another Victorian titan. At one point, Edwyn was shipwrecked off Sumatra and rescued after five days in an open boat and taken to Singapore.

Edwyn’s business acumen was spotted by Sir William McKinnon when in 1865 he  set up a London office for his nephew, Archibald Gray, and Edwyn Dawes – Gray Dawes & Co – as a shipping and insurance company with a fleet of ships sailing out from the Clyde.

By this point still in his 30s, Edwyn had become wealthy and decided to move to Mount Ephraim, buying the other members of the Dawes family out.

The house was in a parlous state with dry rot. It had been let from 1820-1870 to the Vicars of Hernhill. Edwyn set about erecting a much more imposing mansion worthy of his newfound wealth and status. He also bought farmland and woodland to add to the estate.

Later, in 1889 Edwyn acquired the controlling interest in the New Zealand Shipping Company. The NZSC had introduced the refrigerating of frozen meat cargos for the growing export market. It was the start of a connection between the company and the Dawes family lasting until 1970. He was also a Director of the Suez Canal.

He was a man of prodigious energy and drive. He suffered from diabetes and set off for some winter sun in Tenerife in 1903 with his own personal goat (goat’s milk was believed to be good for diabetes), his butler and a coffin. Alas he died almost immediately on arrival.

His son Willie inherited the estate and, with his wife, Jeanie, the daughter of a Scottish whisky distiller, laid out the 12 acre gardens, including the topiary garden, the Japanese garden,  the terraces and the lake which was created from a small pond. The lake is believed to have been dug by unemployed Welsh miners. The couple’s daughter Betty said that at one point there was a permanent staff of 12 gardeners plus ‘an improvements’ gang of 20.

On Willie’s death in 1920 the family was hit hard by death duties and his son, Sandys, retreated into the Garden Wing of the house, leaving the main part of the house empty. This part was requisitioned by the army in 1939 and occupied by troops in World War II.  Vegetables were grown on the front lawn and slit trenches were dug in the garden. By the time Sandys died in 1949 the garden was abandoned, drowning in weeds and neglect.

It was a bleak time for country houses. They were being demolished every day. It is no surprise that Bill, Sandys’s son, seriously considered selling up. But in 1950 he moved with his wife Mary, known as Miz, and their four children into the house. There is a tale that Miz, who grew up in what is now Lorenden School in Painters Forstal, told Bill: ‘I will only marry you if we don’t live at Mount Ephraim’.  They bravely embarked on restoring the house and garden. Shipping was still coursing through the family’s veins. Bill became chairman of the New Zealand Shipping Company in 1966 as well as deputy chairman of P & O.

He rented out the farm which was used for growing fruit: apples, pears and cherries. He died in 1982 but Miz lived on until 2009 and could often be seen working in the garden or selling entrance tickets.

Next, Bill and Miz’s son Sandys, and his Australian wife Lesley, took over with great aplomb, opening the garden to the public in 1985 and adding lots of new features – an Arboretum, a Water Garden a Rose Garden – and the Miz Maze designed by Sarah Morgan to commemorate Miz’s 90^th birthday.

Sandys initially began his career as a teacher in Sussex having gone to university in Melbourne where he met Lesley. He took over the farm growing pears, apples, strawberries as well as cherries.

Sandys, son Will, the great-great-great grandson of Sir Edwyn, joined his father in the farm in 2006. Today, Mount Ephraim cherries are renowned. The annual cherry day is very popular. See Faversham Life article on Mount Ephraim cherries 12 July 2019.

As well as the cultivation of fruit and the lovely beautifully maintained gardens, there are now several other strands to the estate, from weddings, theatrical performances in the gardens, glamping pods, B&B in the house and self-catering lets. Many members of the family are involved in the busy life of Mount Ephraim. It is well worth visiting.

Just a few of the forthcoming events:

28 July – Classic Cars

16-18 August – A New Day Festival

15 September Apple Sunday

22 September Plant Fair

For more details: www.mountephraimgardens.co.uk